Toy



April 29, W41.

F. S. WELCH ET AL TOY Filed May 18. 1939 FRED S. WELCH Rrtenteol pr. 29, i941 FATE.

TOY

' Fred S. Welch and Glyn 0. White, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Clyde S. Payne, Los Angeles,

Calif.

7 Claims.

Our invention relates to toys of that character upon which the user is adapted to sit and by forwardly and rearwardly shifting his weight, impart to the toy a rocking motion by which it is propelled. Such toys embody front and rear legs pivotally mounted on the body upon which the rider sits, with rockers on the legs and connections between the legs by which the rider under forward and then rearward throwing movements of his weight, causes the legs to successively advance as in walking.

It is a purpose of our invention to provide a toy of the class above described wherein at least one of the leg pivots can be adjusted to'at least two positions, one in which the rider is compelled to restrict throwing movement of his weight rearwardly in order to prevent rearward falling of the rider from the toy; and the other in which the rider is given a wide latitude in rearward weight throwing without falling from the toy. Manifestly, in the first position of the pivot the toy is suitable for use by adults and provides entertainment to spectators in seeing the rider fall from the toy, that is, unless the rider is sufficiently experienced in the riding of the toy in which event he is able to control the throwing of his weight to prevent falling from the toy. In the second position of adjustment of the pivot, the toy is suitable for children as the liability of the child falling from the toy is prevented.

It is also a purpose of our invention to provide a toy of the character described embodying a novel form of mechanism interconnecting the legs by which the required relative movement of the legs is attained to produce a walking movement of the toy under the weight throwing action. of the rider.

We will describe only one form of toy embodying our invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a view showing in side elevation one form of toy embodying our invention and illustrating the manner in which it is adapted to be ridden.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with parts thereof in vertical section.

Fig. 2a is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2a2a of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2b is an enlarged perspective view of the latch shown in Figs. 2 and 2a.

Fig. 3 is a view showing the toy in front elevation.

Figs. 4 to '7 inclusive are views illustrating diagrammatically the manner in which motion is imparted to the toy.

Referring specifically to the drawing, our invention in its embodiment, comprises a box shaped body B made up of a top :5, sides It, It, a front El, and a back it. The top l5 constitutes a seat for the rider which he is adapted to straddle, as illustrated in Fig. 1. By means of a bolt 19 extended through and secured in the body sides It, it, a pivot for the upper end of a front leg F is provided. A sleeve bushing 2i (Fig. 2) is turnable on the bolt, extends through the leg F and is turnable on the bolt between the body sides so as to allow turning of the leg without turning the bolt. If the bolt were permitted to turn it would bite into and wear away the sides of the body, particularly if the body is formed of Wood. This would result in an extreme looseness of the bolt and the ultimate falling of the leg from the body.

The front leg F is made up of parallel sections 22, 22, reinforced at their upper ends by blocks 2'3, 23. These blocks also serve to prevent any sidewise play of the leg on the pivot 9. The lower ends of the leg sections 222, 22 are secured to the rear portion of a front rocker 24 which is shown as being provided with an eye 25 for the reception of a lead rope or cord, it, by which the toy as a whole may be pulled.

The toy also embodies a pair of rear legs R, R the upper ends of which are rigidly connected one to the other by a transverse pin 21. The lower ends of these legs are provided with rockers 28, 23 which are secured at their rear ends to the legs. A second pin 29 rigidly connects the rear ends of the rockers, the forward ends of the rockers being provided with platforms 38, 38 upon which the feet of the rider are adapted to repose.

By reason of the fact that the two legs R, R and the two rockers 28, 2B are rigidly connected one to the other they produce in effect a single leg and a single rocker, but being spaced they given stability to the toy as a whole and allow for the necessary movement of the front leg and rocker therebetween for causing the toy to travel under the weight shifting action of the rider.

The rear leg unit is likewise pivoted on the body B with the two legs disposed to the outer sides of the body, and to so mount the leg unit on the body a tubular pin 3! extends through and is secured in the upper ends of the legs R, R by screw bolts 3W, 3W threaded in the ends of the pin. This pin 35 extends through slots 32, 32-

in the body sides IS, IS, and also through correslots 34 by the provision of a latch 36 which may be in thejformof a U-shape metal strap. The parallel portions of the latch are each formed with two notches 31 and 38 spaced to correspond e to the ends of the slots 34, 34 and of such depth that corresponding notches receive the pivot pin 7 3|. The bight portion of the latch abuts the inside of the body back 18 andis'mounteol'for movement upwardly or downwardly thereon to indicated by the arrow A, and at the same time the head 52 may be pulled rearwardly in the direction of the arrow A. Also, downward pressure is applied by the rider to the forward end of the rear rockers as indicated by the arrow G. Such action results in the link 45 being drawn rearwardly so as to push the link 44 forwardly and thus throw the front leg forwardly in the directionof the arrow 0. andto the position indicated in Fig. 5. Also the rear rockers rolls forward, as indicated by the arrow D. The weight of the rider is now thrown forwardly in the direction of the arrow H in Fig. 7, so that the legs are now spread and the body B .advanced a,slight. distance as will be observed .by' comparing the position of the body with the cause either pair of notches to disengage or engage the pin 3| and thereby release or'secure the pin in advanced or retracted position. For se curing the latch in its lowered position once either pair of notches receives the pin'3l, a bolt 39 is extended through the bight portion of the latch and thenthrough a vertical'slot 40 in'the back l8, 'the' outer end of the bolt carrying a; wing nut 4| which can be screwed inwardlyon the bolt to hold the latch in lowered position. Thepurpose of shifting the rear leg pivot 3| will be described hereinafter.

'In order that the toy maybe prope'lled'by the rider shifting his body weight, the front and rear legs must be so interconnected that they may be swung outwardly away from each other and inwardly toward each other, and in such manner that with-the movement of one leg outwardly or inwardlythe other leg is caused to move inwardlyor outwardly. Such a connectionmay comprise a rocker arm 42 pivoted on a rod 43 secured-within the body B and a pair of links 44 and 45. The link 44' is pivoted as at 46 to the upper end of the arm 42 andas at 41 to the front leg F at a point between the leg sections thereof and below the leg pivot l9. The link is pivoted as at 48'to the lower end of the arm 42, and as at 49 to the pin .21 which is below the leg pivot3l. I r

'To'le'nd an: animal-like appearance to the toy and" to aid in .its operation,"an upright standard 50 is secure'd to the frontjof the body B and braced by a bracket 5 l'. l The standard is in simulation of the neck of the animal, while :a head 52'on'the upper end of. the standard is'in simulajure therider. I

A rod 54 is' extended through the head. 52 to form'handl'e' bars whichthe rider is adaptedyto.

grip when riding the toy, as shown in Fig. l. i

-' The operation of the toy will be understood from a-consideration of Fi'gsfil to 7 inclusive. Fig. 4 shows the toy in. what maybe considered a-.starting position, and thepoint S is taken as a p'ointof-reference to show the progressive mo-p tionof the toy. In .this starting position the front and rear legrockers 24' and 23 are .both

restingon the surface E, thefront legF having been 'dr'awn" into converging relation with the rear-' leg by 'forward movement of'the link 45 which, throu'ghthe reversing action of the arm 42 causes'thelink' 44 to move rearwardly firststep in imparting forward motion to tQYiS'tO' tilt thefro'nt Of the-body B upwardly byfthe rider throwing his 'wei'ght rearwardly, as

rockers on the lower ends of the'legs'; mechanism point S in Fig. 7. "The next step in the operation is for the rider to throw his weight farther forward so 'as torelieve the rear rockers of some of his weight. In this manner the rear leg unit is lifted from the surface and by the reverse action of the links '44 and" 45' is carried into the position shown inFFig. 6'. weight of the rider is then thrown backward-to bring the toyinto :the position shown in Fig; 4 from which the same proceduremaybe-carried out repeatedly to advance the toy in a step-by-step movement over-the surface; The toy may be made to go same. whetherthe pivot 3| vis its forward or rearward positionof adjustment; In the forward. position-ofi the pivot :3I1the toy is more sensitive to ,rearwardrtilting and throwingof the rider than when in the: rear position'of. adjust- :ment, because the pivot 3l is now slightly in ad- Vance or coincident with thecenter of weight of the rider. This necessitateswthat the rider be extremely careful andnot Ithrow his weight too far back,,.otherwise the toy vwill becaused to'tllt -irearwardly on the rockers28 28 ,-.to such an extent as tothrow the-rider. rearwardly from the toy. .Thus it will. be understood: that considerable practice isrequired to ride thetoy without being thrown therefrom- Those not. having this experience; naturally gfall. therefrom affording considerable entertainment to spectators; g the rearward position .of adjustment of the pivot 3 I,thisypivotis'togthe'rearof thercenter of weight-ofthe rid'enand hence;.the rider can rearwardly throw his weight withoutisotilting the toy onthe rockers 28 as to throw him rearwardly' from the toy; Thus one-with no toy riding experience can manipulate thetoyl without being.

thrown. 1

The rope 26;Laifords means whichthe toy with a rider thereon can-be-pulled; such .pulling force causing the; legsyto beua'ctuated in the'sa me manner asv by the rider :to advance. the toy in a step-by-step movement. r;

1. A toy of the character described, comprising; a body; front" and rear legs pivotally mounted on the body for swinging movementsout-wardly from eachother and inwardly toward each other;

interconnecting the legs s'olthat with movement of one leg outwardly orinv'vardlythe other legis alsocaused to move outwardly or inwardly; a seat on the body above the legs for occupancy by the f-wml FURL; Y I".

rider in a straddling posture so that his feet repose on the rear rockers; means affording adjustment of the rear leg pivot on the body for controlling rearward tilting of the body; and a latch for securing the rear leg pivot in adjusted position.

2. A toy of the character described, comprising; a body; front and rear legs pivotally mounted on the body for swinging movement outwardly from each other and inwardly toward each other; rockers on the lower ends of the legs; mechanism interconnecting the legs so that with movement of one leg outwardly or inwardly the other leg is also caused to move outwardly or inwardly; a seat on the body above the legs for occupancy by the rider in a straddling posture so that his feet repose on the rear rockers; said body having slots therein receiving the rear leg pivot and allowing adjustment thereof to vary the rearward tilting of the body; a latch on the body;

and means for moving the latch to engage or disengage the rear leg pivot and for securing the latch in pivot-engaging position to retain the pivot in a preselected position of adjustment.

3. A toy of the character described, comprising; a body; front and rear legs pivotally mounted on the body for swinging movement outwardly from each other and inwardly toward each other; rockers on the lower ends of the legs; mechanism interconnecting the legs so that with movement of one leg outwardly or inwardly the other leg is also caused to move outwardly or inwardly; a seat on the body above the legs for occupancy by the rider in a straddling posture so that his feet repose on the rear rockers; said body having slots therein receiving the rear leg pivot and allowing adjustment thereof to vary the rearward tilting of the body; a latch having notches therein for receiving the rear leg pivot; said body having a third slot therein; a device secured to the latch and extending through said third slot for moving the latch to engage or disengage the rear leg pivot; and means on the device engageable with the body for securing the latch in engagement with the rear leg pivot.

4. A toy of the class described embodying: a body; a front leg pivotally mounted on said body; a pair of oppositely disposed rear legs pivotally mounted on opposite sides of said body at a substantial distance behind said front leg; means low the pivotal axis of said rear leg unit; a similar link pivoted to the front leg, a rocker arm pivoted on said body and operatively connecting said links; a seat on the top of said body; and a foot rest on the front of each rear rocker for receiving a portion of the riders Weight during a forward rocking movement.

5. A toy of the class described embodying: a body; a front leg pivotally mounted on said body; a pair of oppositely disposed rear legs pivotally mounted on opposite sides of said body at a substantial distance behind said front leg; means connecting said rear legs together to form a unit; a rocker secured adjacent its rear end to the lower end of said front leg; rockers secured adjacent their rear ends to the lower ends of said rear legs; mechanism interconnecting the upper ends of the legs below their pivots; and means affording adjustment of the rear leg unit pivot for controlling rearward tilting of the body.

6. A toy of the class described embodying: a body; a front leg pivotally mounted on said body; a pair of oppositely disposed rear legs pivotally mounted on opposite sides of said body at a substantial distance behind said front leg; means connecting said rear legs together to form a unit: a rocker secured adjacent its rear end to the lower end of said front leg; rockers secured adjacent their rear ends to the lower ends of said rear legs; mechanism interconnecting the upper portions of the legs adjacent their pivots; a seat on the top of said body; and a foot rest on the front of each rear rocker for receiving a portion of the riders weight during a forward rocking movement.

7. A toy of the class described embodying: a body; a front leg pivotally mounted on said body; a pair of oppositely disposed rear legs pivotally mounted on opposite sides of said body at a substantial distance behind said front leg; means connecting said rear legs together to form a unit; a rocker secured adjacent its rear end to the lower end of said front leg; rockers secured adjacent their rear ends to the lower ends of said rear legs; mechanism interconnecting the front and rear legs so that with rocking movement of the front leg outwardly or inwardly the rear legs are also caused to move outwardly or inwardly and vice versa; a seat on the top of said body; and a foot rest on the front of each rear rocker for receiving a portion of the riders Weight during a forward rocking movement.

GLYN 0'. WHITE. FRED S. WELCH. 

